Scoreboard
Celtics 107, Pelicans 97
Mavericks 132, Pacers 105
76ers 103, Kings 101
Raptors 124, Heat 120 (3OT)
Grizzlies 115, Wizards 95
Warriors 110, Nets 106
What went down
Playoff intensity found its way to South Beach as the Heat and Raptors figured in a triple overtime barnburner. In a game that seemed like it didn't want to end, the Raptors just found enough juice in the third extra session to pull out the road win.
A decisive 8-0 run by the Raptors turned a three-point deficit into a 122-117 lead after Fred VanVleet knocked down his fifth triple of the game. Gabe Vincent gave the Heat a little bit of life after he sunk his 3-pointer with 1:53 remaining.
Unfortunately for the home team, Tyler Herro couldn’t find the bottom of the net late as he missed a total of three shots from deep in the final minute and a half. The sorriest miss came after the Heat got a huge break following Pascal Siakam’s offensive foul with 16.3 ticks left on the clock. The Raptors were able to maintain their lead and Siakam iced the game with a pair of free throws.
Gary Trent Jr. led Toronto with 33 points, five rebounds, and five steals. Siakam and OG Anunoby were beasts in the paint, combining for 41 points and 27 boards. VanVleet had a rough shooting night overall (38.8 percent from the field) but made the shots when it mattered most to finish with 19 points.
The Heat had their chances to win but the breaks of the game didn’t go their way. Clinging to a 100-98 advantage in regulation after a triple from PJ Tucker, Jimmy Butler committed a costly foul with 2.9 seconds left that allowed Scottie Barnes to tie it up at the line. Butler still could have won the game but he didn’t get a shot off on time.
Towards the end of the first overtime, Butler lost the ball to Anunoby, who missed a shot at the buzzer in the ensuing play. Then the final moments of the second extra period will probably give Miami coach Erik Spoelstra a sleepless night. With less than five seconds remaining in a tie game, Vincent raced down the court and sank a running 3-pointer at the buzzer. However, the Heat called a timeout right before the shot, so potential game-winner was not counted. After the timeout, Herro missed on his floater, sending the game to a deciding third overtime.
Butler had a game-high 37 points along with 14 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals, and two blocks in a losing effort.
Big-time baller
The Celtics’ Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 69 points to overwhelm the lowly Pelicans.
Tatum went off for 38 points on an efficient 17-for-26 shooting from the field. He also added eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. Brown, meanwhile, was right behind with his 31-point effort and 11-for-20 clip.
What he said
Klay in the CLUTCH 🎯
— NBA (@NBA) January 30, 2022
Warriors up 4 on ABC! pic.twitter.com/ueaKt1zOXU
Don’t we all miss Klay Thompson hitting a “Bang” 3-pointer? In case you were warped in that triple overtime battle between the Heat and the Raptors, the Nets and Warriors also duked it out down the stretch. In the end, Thompson and his Splash Brother Steph Curry had the last say, combining for the Warriors’ last 17 points to get the win.
''It's important for Klay to feel those big moments. It's been two and a half years,'' Golden State head coach Steve Kerr said postgame.
What’s in a number?
The Raptors burned the gas pedal in their 3OT victory.
All 5 of the Raptors starters played 53+ minutes tonight.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 30, 2022
This is the 1st instance in the Shot Clock era (since 1954-55) of a team having 5 players play 50+ minutes in a game.
h/t @EliasSports pic.twitter.com/uGAdRoS6es
In case you were wondering, Butler was the lone player in Miami who played at least 50 minutes. Butler did that in the second night of a back-to-back, impressively playing over 89 minutes in a span of 48 hours.
The Heat and the Raptors meet again on Wednesday.
